Transgender Polling Archive

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Every question, with its verbatim wording, its toplines, and a link to the pollster’s own release. Filters combine; the address updates so any view can be shared.

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97 questions from 17 polls

Pew Research CenterIdentity beliefsNov 17–30, 2025
whether gender is determined by sex at birth (revised wording)

Which statement comes closer to your views, even if neither is exactly right?

Whether someone is a man or a woman is determined by their sex at birth
67%
Someone can be a man or a woman even if that is different from their sex at birth
31%
No answer
1%
Sample
10,357 adults
Method
mixed-mode probability
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record
Wording notes: response options rotated 1-2/2-1WORDING CHANGE: 'their sex at birth' replaced 'the sex they were assigned at birth' starting November 2025no middle option
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Whether someone is a man or a woman is determined by their sex at birth
  • Someone can be a man or a woman even if that is different from their sex at birth
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterSportsNov 17–30, 2025
comfort with transgender athletes on teams not matching their sex at birth

Thinking about things that sometimes happen in society, is each of the following something you are comfortable or uncomfortable with? ... Transgender athletes competing on sports teams that don't match their sex at birth

Not at all comfortable
56%
Not too comfortable
17%
Somewhat comfortable
14%
Very comfortable
7%
Extremely comfortable
6%
No answer
1%
NET Not too/Not at all comfortable 73%NET Extremely/Very comfortable 13%
Sample
10,357 adults
Method
mixed-mode probability
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 23 subgroup figures
Wording notes: asked inside a randomized battery alongside unrelated items (openly carrying guns, displaying a Confederate flag, speaking a language other than English in public, women not taking their husbands' last names)measures personal comfort rather than policy supportunipolar comfort scale with no explicit neutral midpoint
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Extremely comfortable
  • Very comfortable
  • Somewhat comfortable
  • Not too comfortable
  • Not at all comfortable
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterPronouns & languageNov 17–30, 2025
comfort with someone using they/them pronouns

Thinking about things that sometimes happen in society, is each of the following something you are comfortable or uncomfortable with? ... Someone using the pronouns "they/them" instead of "he" or "she" to describe themselves

Not at all comfortable
29%
Somewhat comfortable
22%
Not too comfortable
22%
Extremely comfortable
13%
Very comfortable
13%
No answer
1%
Sample
10,357 adults
Method
mixed-mode probability
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record
Wording notes: SCALE CHANGE: the April 2024 version of this item used a binary comfortable/uncomfortable, so the 2024 and 2025 readings are not directly comparableasked inside a randomized battery with unrelated items
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Extremely comfortable
  • Very comfortable
  • Somewhat comfortable
  • Not too comfortable
  • Not at all comfortable
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterSportsNov 17–30, 2025
personal comfort with transgender athletes competing on teams not matching sex at birth

How comfortable would you be with transgender athletes competing on sports teams that do not match their sex at birth?

Not at all comfortable
56%
Not too comfortable
17%
Somewhat comfortable
14%
Very comfortable
7%
Extremely comfortable
6%
Sample
10,357 adults
Method
mixed-mode probability
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 2 subgroup figures
Wording notes: measures personal comfort, not policy supportuses 'sex at birth' and 'transgender athletes'level of sport not specifieddoes not restrict the item to women's sports - it is symmetric across direction of transition5-point scale with no explicit neutral midpoint label
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Extremely comfortable
  • Very comfortable
  • Somewhat comfortable
  • Not too comfortable
  • Not at all comfortable
Pew Research CenterBathrooms & facilitiesFeb 10–17, 2025
Form 1 arm of the randomized bathroom-item wording experiment

Here are some current laws and policies that are either in place or being considered in the U.S. related to transgender issues.

Here are some current laws and policies that are either in place or being considered in the U.S. related to transgender issues. Would you favor or oppose laws or policies that do each of the following? Require transgender individuals to use public bathrooms that match the sex they were assigned at birth, not the gender they identify with

Favor 78%26% Oppose
Favor or strongly favor (net, as reported by Pew) 56%Favor 14%Favor 12%
Sample
5,097 adults · +/- 1.6 percentage points for the full sample of 5,097; Pew does not publish a separate margin of error for the n=2,565 Form 1 half sample
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 2 subgroup figures

Base: Items b (bathrooms) and d (athletes) were asked only of Form 1, n=2,565. Form 2 received a different wording of both items that Pew has never published. The questionnaire codebook shows X_FORM (1=Form 1, 2=Form 2) with the note 'Flag to randomly assign panelists to one of two forms (Form 1, Form 2) and weight within form.' Separately, a subset of W163 respondents (n=284) had been asked TRANSGEND6 in January 2025 as part of W160; their answers were combined into the reported totals for the ASK ALL items.

Wording notes: asked of a random half sample (Form 1) onlyalternate arm wording withheld by the pollsteritems randomized within batteryresponse options rotated 1-5/5-1
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Strongly favor
  • Favor
  • Neither favor nor oppose
  • Oppose
  • Strongly oppose
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterIdentity beliefsFeb 10–17, 2025
whether gender is determined by sex assigned at birth

Which statement comes closer to your views, even if neither is exactly right?

Whether someone is a man or a woman is determined by the sex they were assigned at birth
67%
Someone can be a man or a woman even if that is different from the sex they were assigned at birth
31%
No answer
2%
Sample
5,097 adults · +/- 1.6 percentage points for the full sample of 5,097; Pew does not publish a separate margin of error for the n=2,565 Form 1 half sample
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record

Base: Items b (bathrooms) and d (athletes) were asked only of Form 1, n=2,565. Form 2 received a different wording of both items that Pew has never published. The questionnaire codebook shows X_FORM (1=Form 1, 2=Form 2) with the note 'Flag to randomly assign panelists to one of two forms (Form 1, Form 2) and weight within form.' Separately, a subset of W163 respondents (n=284) had been asked TRANSGEND6 in January 2025 as part of W160; their answers were combined into the reported totals for the ASK ALL items.

Wording notes: response options randomizedno middle option
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Whether someone is a man or a woman is determined by the sex they were assigned at birth
  • Someone can be a man or a woman even if that is different from the sex they were assigned at birth
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterNondiscriminationFeb 10–17, 2025
protecting transgender people from discrimination in jobs, housing and public spaces

Here are some current laws and policies that are either in place or being considered in the U.S. related to transgender issues.

Would you favor or oppose laws or policies that do each of the following? ... Protect transgender individuals from discrimination in jobs, housing, and public spaces such as restaurants and stores

Strongly favor
31%
Strongly oppose
10%
Neither favor nor oppose
27%
No answer
1%
NET Strongly favor/Favor 56%Favor 25%NET Oppose/Strongly oppose 16%Oppose 6%
Sample
5,097 adults · +/- 1.6 percentage points for the full sample of 5,097; Pew does not publish a separate margin of error for the n=2,565 Form 1 half sample
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record

Base: Items b (bathrooms) and d (athletes) were asked only of Form 1, n=2,565. Form 2 received a different wording of both items that Pew has never published. The questionnaire codebook shows X_FORM (1=Form 1, 2=Form 2) with the note 'Flag to randomly assign panelists to one of two forms (Form 1, Form 2) and weight within form.' Separately, a subset of W163 respondents (n=284) had been asked TRANSGEND6 in January 2025 as part of W160; their answers were combined into the reported totals for the ASK ALL items.

Wording notes: items randomizedresponse options rotated 1-5/5-1asked of all respondents
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Strongly favor
  • Favor
  • Neither favor nor oppose
  • Oppose
  • Strongly oppose
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterBathrooms & facilitiesFeb 10–17, 2025
requiring bathroom use matching sex assigned at birth

Here are some current laws and policies that are either in place or being considered in the U.S. related to transgender issues.

Would you favor or oppose laws or policies that do each of the following? ... Require transgender individuals to use public bathrooms that match the sex they were assigned at birth, not the gender they identify with

Favor 36%26% Oppose
NET Strongly favor/Favor 49%Favor 12%Oppose 12%
Sample
5,097 adults · +/- 1.6 percentage points for the full sample of 5,097; Pew does not publish a separate margin of error for the n=2,565 Form 1 half sample
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record

Base: Items b (bathrooms) and d (athletes) were asked only of Form 1, n=2,565. Form 2 received a different wording of both items that Pew has never published. The questionnaire codebook shows X_FORM (1=Form 1, 2=Form 2) with the note 'Flag to randomly assign panelists to one of two forms (Form 1, Form 2) and weight within form.' Separately, a subset of W163 respondents (n=284) had been asked TRANSGEND6 in January 2025 as part of W160; their answers were combined into the reported totals for the ASK ALL items.

Wording notes: Form 1 only (n=2,565)a slightly different, unpublished wording was tested on the other half for experimental purposes
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Strongly favor
  • Favor
  • Neither favor nor oppose
  • Oppose
  • Strongly oppose
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterSchool policyFeb 10–17, 2025
banning elementary school instruction about gender identity

Here are some current laws and policies that are either in place or being considered in the U.S. related to transgender issues.

Would you favor or oppose laws or policies that do each of the following? ... Make it illegal for public school districts to teach about gender identity in elementary schools

Favor 35%34% Oppose
NET Strongly favor/Favor 47%Oppose 14%Favor 12%
Sample
5,097 adults · +/- 1.6 percentage points for the full sample of 5,097; Pew does not publish a separate margin of error for the n=2,565 Form 1 half sample
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record

Base: Items b (bathrooms) and d (athletes) were asked only of Form 1, n=2,565. Form 2 received a different wording of both items that Pew has never published. The questionnaire codebook shows X_FORM (1=Form 1, 2=Form 2) with the note 'Flag to randomly assign panelists to one of two forms (Form 1, Form 2) and weight within form.' Separately, a subset of W163 respondents (n=284) had been asked TRANSGEND6 in January 2025 as part of W160; their answers were combined into the reported totals for the ASK ALL items.

Wording notes: items randomizedasked of all respondents
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Strongly favor
  • Favor
  • Neither favor nor oppose
  • Oppose
  • Strongly oppose
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterSportsFeb 10–17, 2025
requiring trans athletes to compete on teams matching sex assigned at birth

Here are some current laws and policies that are either in place or being considered in the U.S. related to transgender issues.

Would you favor or oppose laws or policies that do each of the following? ... Require that transgender athletes compete on teams that match the sex they were assigned at birth, not the gender they identify with

Favor 49%19% Oppose
NET Strongly favor/Favor 66%Favor 17%NET Oppose/Strongly oppose 15%Oppose 7%
Sample
5,097 adults · +/- 1.6 percentage points for the full sample of 5,097; Pew does not publish a separate margin of error for the n=2,565 Form 1 half sample
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 2 subgroup figures

Base: Items b (bathrooms) and d (athletes) were asked only of Form 1, n=2,565. Form 2 received a different wording of both items that Pew has never published. The questionnaire codebook shows X_FORM (1=Form 1, 2=Form 2) with the note 'Flag to randomly assign panelists to one of two forms (Form 1, Form 2) and weight within form.' Separately, a subset of W163 respondents (n=284) had been asked TRANSGEND6 in January 2025 as part of W160; their answers were combined into the reported totals for the ASK ALL items.

Wording notes: Form 1 only (n=2,565)a slightly different, unpublished wording was tested on the other half for experimental purposesdoes not specify level of competition or sex of athlete
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Strongly favor
  • Favor
  • Neither favor nor oppose
  • Oppose
  • Strongly oppose
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterAdult medical careFeb 10–17, 2025
requiring health insurance coverage of gender transition care

Here are some current laws and policies that are either in place or being considered in the U.S. related to transgender issues.

Would you favor or oppose laws or policies that do each of the following? ... Require health insurance companies to cover medical care for gender transitions

Favor 10%53% Oppose
NET Strongly favor/Favor 22%Oppose 17%Favor 12%
Sample
5,097 adults · +/- 1.6 percentage points for the full sample of 5,097; Pew does not publish a separate margin of error for the n=2,565 Form 1 half sample
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record

Base: Items b (bathrooms) and d (athletes) were asked only of Form 1, n=2,565. Form 2 received a different wording of both items that Pew has never published. The questionnaire codebook shows X_FORM (1=Form 1, 2=Form 2) with the note 'Flag to randomly assign panelists to one of two forms (Form 1, Form 2) and weight within form.' Separately, a subset of W163 respondents (n=284) had been asked TRANSGEND6 in January 2025 as part of W160; their answers were combined into the reported totals for the ASK ALL items.

Wording notes: items randomizedmandate framingasked of all respondents
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Strongly favor
  • Favor
  • Neither favor nor oppose
  • Oppose
  • Strongly oppose
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterYouth medical careFeb 10–17, 2025
banning gender transition medical care for people under 18

Here are some current laws and policies that are either in place or being considered in the U.S. related to transgender issues.

Would you favor or oppose laws or policies that do each of the following? ... Make it illegal for health care professionals to provide someone younger than 18 with medical care for a gender transition

Favor 42%12% Oppose
NET Strongly favor/Favor 56%Favor 14%
Sample
5,097 adults · +/- 1.6 percentage points for the full sample of 5,097; Pew does not publish a separate margin of error for the n=2,565 Form 1 half sample
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 2 subgroup figures

Base: Items b (bathrooms) and d (athletes) were asked only of Form 1, n=2,565. Form 2 received a different wording of both items that Pew has never published. The questionnaire codebook shows X_FORM (1=Form 1, 2=Form 2) with the note 'Flag to randomly assign panelists to one of two forms (Form 1, Form 2) and weight within form.' Separately, a subset of W163 respondents (n=284) had been asked TRANSGEND6 in January 2025 as part of W160; their answers were combined into the reported totals for the ASK ALL items.

Wording notes: items randomizedasked of all respondentsdoes not distinguish blockers/hormones/surgery
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Strongly favor
  • Favor
  • Neither favor nor oppose
  • Oppose
  • Strongly oppose
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterContact & populationparaphrasedSep 18, 2024 – Oct 10, 2024
knows someone who is transgender / nonbinary

Do you know someone who is transgender? Do you know someone who is nonbinary?

Knows someone who is transgender
36%
Knows someone who is nonbinary
28%
Sample
1,391 teens ages 13-17 living with a parent
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record

Base: Teens were surveyed via a parent who is a member of the Ipsos KnowledgePanel.

Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Yes
  • No
Pew Research CenterIdentity beliefsparaphrasedSep 18, 2024 – Oct 10, 2024
whether gender is determined by sex assigned at birth

Which comes closer to your view, even if neither is exactly right? Whether a person is a man or a woman is determined by the sex they were assigned at birth / A person can be a man or a woman even if that is different from the sex they were assigned at birth

Gender is determined by sex assigned at birth
69%
Gender can be different from sex assigned at birth
30%
Sample
1,391 teens ages 13-17 living with a parent
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record

Base: Teens were surveyed via a parent who is a member of the Ipsos KnowledgePanel.

Wording notes: forced binary choice, no middle option
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Gender is determined by sex assigned at birth
  • A person can be a man or a woman even if that is different from the sex assigned at birth
Pew Research CenterPronouns & languageparaphrasedSep 18, 2024 – Oct 10, 2024
comfort using gender-neutral pronouns for someone who asks

How comfortable, if at all, would you feel using a gender-neutral pronoun, such as "they," to refer to someone if they asked you to?

Uncomfortable
50%
Comfortable
48%
Sample
1,391 teens ages 13-17 living with a parent
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record

Base: Teens were surveyed via a parent who is a member of the Ipsos KnowledgePanel.

Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Very/somewhat comfortable
  • Not too/not at all comfortable
Pew Research CenterIdentity beliefsSep 18, 2024 – Oct 10, 2024
whether gender is determined by sex assigned at birth (teens)

Which statement comes closer to your views, even if neither is exactly right?

Whether someone is a man or a woman is determined by the sex they were assigned at birth
69%
Someone can be a man or a woman even if that is different from the sex they were assigned at birth
30%
No answer
2%
Sample
1,391 teens ages 13-17 · ±3.3 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 7 subgroup figures

Base: Boys n=698 (±4.6 points); girls n=669 (±4.7 points). TRANSGEND12 asked of the 1,212 who had heard at least a little about nonbinary people.

Wording notes: response options randomizedidentical wording to the adult ATP item, allowing a direct teen/adult comparison
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Whether someone is a man or a woman is determined by the sex they were assigned at birth
  • Someone can be a man or a woman even if that is different from the sex they were assigned at birth
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterPronouns & languageSep 18, 2024 – Oct 10, 2024
teens' comfort with someone using they/them pronouns

Thinking about something that happens sometimes in society, are you comfortable or uncomfortable with someone using the pronouns "they/them" instead of "he" or "she" to describe themselves?

Uncomfortable
50%
Comfortable
48%
No answer
1%
Sample
1,391 teens ages 13-17 · ±3.3 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 4 subgroup figures

Base: Boys n=698 (±4.6 points); girls n=669 (±4.7 points). TRANSGEND12 asked of the 1,212 who had heard at least a little about nonbinary people.

Wording notes: teen adaptation of the adult W146 battery item; asked standalone rather than inside a comfort batterybinary with no midpoint
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Comfortable
  • Uncomfortable
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterContact & populationSep 18, 2024 – Oct 10, 2024
teens who know a transgender person

Next, we'd like to ask you about people who are transgender, that is, people whose gender is different from the sex they were assigned at birth (such as a person assigned male at birth who identifies as a woman).

Do you personally know anyone who is transgender?

No
63%
Yes
36%
Sample
1,391 teens ages 13-17 · ±3.3 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 2 subgroup figures

Base: Boys n=698 (±4.6 points); girls n=669 (±4.7 points). TRANSGEND12 asked of the 1,212 who had heard at least a little about nonbinary people.

Wording notes: definition of transgender supplied in preamble
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Yes
  • No
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterContact & populationSep 18, 2024 – Oct 10, 2024
teens' awareness of nonbinary/gender-fluid identities

Some people don't identify as a man or a woman. Instead, they may describe themselves as not having a gender or describe their gender using terms such as "nonbinary" or "gender-fluid." How much have you heard about people not identifying as a man or a woman (or as a boy or a girl)?

A little
55%
A lot
32%
Nothing at all
12%
No answer
1%
Sample
1,391 teens ages 13-17 · ±3.3 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 2 subgroup figures

Base: Boys n=698 (±4.6 points); girls n=669 (±4.7 points). TRANSGEND12 asked of the 1,212 who had heard at least a little about nonbinary people.

Wording notes: teen adaptation adds '(or as a boy or a girl)'
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • A lot
  • A little
  • Nothing at all
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterContact & populationSep 18, 2024 – Oct 10, 2024
teens who know someone who is nonbinary

Do you personally know anyone who does not identify as a man or a woman (or as a boy or a girl)?

Knows someone who is nonbinary
28%
Sample
1,391 teens ages 13-17 · ±3.3 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 4 subgroup figures

Base: Boys n=698 (±4.6 points); girls n=669 (±4.7 points). TRANSGEND12 asked of the 1,212 who had heard at least a little about nonbinary people.

Wording notes: asked only of teens who had heard a lot/a little (n=1,212)
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Yes
  • No
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterContact & populationSep 3–15, 2024
knows a transgender person

Next, we'd like to ask you about people who are transgender, that is, people whose gender is different from the sex they were assigned at birth (such as a person assigned male at birth who identifies as a woman).

Do you personally know anyone who is transgender?

No
60%
Yes
40%
Sample
6,204 adults · ±1.5 percentage points
Method
mixed-mode probability
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 4 subgroup figures

Base: Men n=2,710 (±2.3 points); women n=3,446 (±2.1 points). TRANSGEND12 asked of the 5,464 who had heard at least a little about nonbinary people.

Wording notes: definition of transgender supplied in preamble
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Yes
  • No
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterContact & populationSep 3–15, 2024
awareness of nonbinary/gender-fluid identities

Some people don't identify as a man or a woman. Instead, they may describe themselves as not having a gender or describe their gender using terms such as "nonbinary" or "gender-fluid." How much have you heard about people not identifying as a man or a woman?

A little
46%
A lot
41%
Nothing at all
12%
No answer
1%
Sample
6,204 adults · ±1.5 percentage points
Method
mixed-mode probability
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 2 subgroup figures

Base: Men n=2,710 (±2.3 points); women n=3,446 (±2.1 points). TRANSGEND12 asked of the 5,464 who had heard at least a little about nonbinary people.

Wording notes: response options rotated 1-3/3-1
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • A lot
  • A little
  • Nothing at all
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterContact & populationSep 3–15, 2024
knows someone who is nonbinary

Do you personally know anyone who does not identify as a man or a woman?

Sample
asked of a subset: Heard a lot/a little about nonbinary people, Men (heard a lot/a little), Women (heard a lot/a little)full poll: 6,204 adults · ±1.5 percentage points
Method
mixed-mode probability
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 4 subgroup figures

Base: Men n=2,710 (±2.3 points); women n=3,446 (±2.1 points). TRANSGEND12 asked of the 5,464 who had heard at least a little about nonbinary people.

Wording notes: asked only of those who had heard a lot/a little (n=5,464)
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Yes
  • No
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterIdentity beliefsApr 8–14, 2024
whether gender is determined by sex assigned at birth

Which statement comes closer to your views, even if neither is exactly right?

Whether someone is a man or a woman is determined by the sex they were assigned at birth
65%
Someone can be a man or a woman even if that is different from the sex they were assigned at birth
33%
No answer
2%
Sample
8,709 adults
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 17 subgroup figures

Base: CMFRT_LIST asked of Form 1 only (n=4,349). The June 2024 report analyzes registered voters; the final topline reports all adults.

Wording notes: response options randomizedno middle option
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Whether someone is a man or a woman is determined by the sex they were assigned at birth
  • Someone can be a man or a woman even if that is different from the sex they were assigned at birth
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterPronouns & languageApr 8–14, 2024
comfort with someone using they/them pronouns

Thinking about things that sometimes happen in society, is each of the following something you are comfortable or uncomfortable with? ... Someone using the pronouns "they/them" instead of "he" or "she" to describe themselves

Uncomfortable
54%
Comfortable
45%
No answer
1%
Sample
8,709 adults
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record

Base: CMFRT_LIST asked of Form 1 only (n=4,349). The June 2024 report analyzes registered voters; the final topline reports all adults.

Wording notes: Form 1 onlybinary comfortable/uncomfortable with no midpointitems randomized within the battery alongside unrelated items such as speaking a language other than English in public
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Comfortable
  • Uncomfortable
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterSchool policyNov 9–16, 2023
parental opt-out from instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity

Do you think that parents should be able to opt their children out of learning about the following topics in school if the way these topics are taught conflicts with the parent's personal views or beliefs? ... Sexual orientation or gender identity

Should be allowed 54%31% Should not be allowed
Sample
5,029 adults · ±1.4 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record
Wording notes: double-barreled: bundles sexual orientation with gender identityconditional clause primes conflictexplicit 'Not sure' anchor
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Yes, parents should be able to opt their children out
  • No, parents should not be able to opt their children out
  • Not sure
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterSchool policyparaphrasedOct 17, 2023 – Nov 14, 2023
what students should learn about gender identity

Which of the following comes closest to your view about what students should learn in school about gender identity? Students should learn that whether someone is a boy or a girl can be different from the sex they were assigned at birth / Students should learn that whether someone is a boy or a girl is determined by the sex they were assigned at birth / Students should not learn about this in school

Students should not learn about this in school
50%
Gender can be different from sex assigned at birth
33%
Gender is determined by sex assigned at birth
14%
Sample
2,531 public K-12 teachers with more than one year of experience · ±2.4 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 6 subgroup figures

Base: 6,357 teachers sampled; 191 screened out as ineligible; 2,531 completed (41.0% completion rate)

Wording notes: offers an explicit 'should not be taught' option
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Gender can be different from sex assigned at birth
  • Gender is determined by sex assigned at birth
  • Students should not learn about this in school
Pew Research CenterSchool policyparaphrasedOct 17, 2023 – Nov 14, 2023
parental opt-out from instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity

Should parents be able to opt their children out of learning about sexual orientation or gender identity if the way it is taught conflicts with the parents' personal views or beliefs?

Yes, parents should be able to opt out
48%
Sample
2,531 public K-12 teachers with more than one year of experience · ±2.4 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record

Base: 6,357 teachers sampled; 191 screened out as ineligible; 2,531 completed (41.0% completion rate)

Wording notes: bundles sexual orientation and gender identity into one item
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Yes, should be able to opt out
  • No, should not
Pew Research CenterSchool policyOct 17, 2023 – Nov 14, 2023
what teachers think students should learn about gender identity

Which of the following do you think [IF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER: elementary school /IF MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER: middle school /IF HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER: high school] students should learn in school, even if neither is exactly right?

Students should not learn about this in school
50%
That someone can be a boy or a girl even if that is different from the sex they were assigned at birth
33%
That whether someone is a boy or a girl is determined by the sex they were assigned at birth
14%
No answer
3%
Sample
2,531 public K-12 teachers · ±2.4 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record

Base: TCHTOPIC asked of the 2,529 teaching more than a year.

Wording notes: options 1 and 2 randomized with the 'should not learn about this' anchor always lastgrade level piped to the teacher's own level
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • That whether someone is a boy or a girl is determined by the sex they were assigned at birth
  • That someone can be a boy or a girl even if that is different from the sex they were assigned at birth
  • Students should not learn about this in elementary/middle/high school
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterSchool policyOct 17, 2023 – Nov 14, 2023
parental opt-out from instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity

Do you think that parents should be able to opt their children out of learning about the following topics in school if the way these topics are taught conflicts with the parents' personal views or beliefs? ... Sexual orientation or gender identity

Should be allowed 48%33% Should not be allowed
Sample
2,531 public K-12 teachers · ±2.4 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record

Base: TCHTOPIC asked of the 2,529 teaching more than a year.

Wording notes: double-barreled: bundles sexual orientation with gender identityconditional clause 'if the way these topics are taught conflicts with the parents' personal views or beliefs' primes conflictexplicit 'Not sure' anchor
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Yes, parents should be able to opt their children out
  • No, parents should not be able to opt their children out
  • Not sure
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterSchool policyOct 17, 2023 – Nov 14, 2023
how often sexual orientation or gender identity comes up in class

How often did each of the following topics come up in your classroom in the last school year (2022-23), either as a part of something you were teaching or in some other way? ... Sexual orientation or gender identity

Sample
asked of a subset: Teaching more than a yearfull poll: 2,531 public K-12 teachers · ±2.4 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 6 subgroup figures

Base: TCHTOPIC asked of the 2,529 teaching more than a year.

Wording notes: double-barreled: bundles sexual orientation with gender identityresponse option order reversed for a random half
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Extremely often
  • Often
  • Sometimes
  • Rarely
  • Never
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterSchool policyOct 17, 2023 – Nov 14, 2023
impact of debates over teaching race and gender identity on teachers' work

Thinking about current debates on how public K-12 schools should be teaching certain topics like race and gender identity, what type of impact would you say these debates have had on your ability to do your job?

Somewhat negative
27%
No impact
27%
Very negative
14%
Somewhat positive
3%
Very positive
1%
Neither positive nor negative
26%
No answer
3%
Sample
2,531 public K-12 teachers · ±2.4 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record

Base: TCHTOPIC asked of the 2,529 teaching more than a year.

Wording notes: bundles race and gender identityresponse option order reversed for a random half, with 'no impact' always last
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Very positive
  • Somewhat positive
  • Neither positive nor negative
  • Somewhat negative
  • Very negative
  • No impact [anchor]
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterSchool policyparaphrasedSep 26, 2023 – Oct 23, 2023
what students should learn about gender identity

Which of the following comes closest to your view about what students should learn in school about gender identity? Students should learn that whether someone is a boy or a girl can be different from the sex they were assigned at birth / Students should learn that whether someone is a boy or a girl is determined by the sex they were assigned at birth / Students should not learn about this in school

Should not learn about this in school
48%
Gender is determined by sex assigned at birth
26%
Gender can be different from sex assigned at birth
25%
Sample
1,453 teens ages 13-17 living with a parent
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record
Wording notes: offers an explicit 'should not be taught' option, which draws roughly half the sample
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Gender can be different from sex assigned at birth
  • Gender is determined by sex assigned at birth
  • Students should not learn about this in school
Pew Research CenterSchool policySep 26, 2023 – Oct 23, 2023
what teens would prefer to learn about gender identity in school

Which of the following would you prefer to learn about in school, even if neither is exactly right?

Sample
asked of a subset: Teens attending schoolfull poll: 1,453 teens ages 13-17 · ±3.2 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 4 subgroup figures

Base: School items asked of the 1,333 attending school and not homeschooled.

Wording notes: options 1 and 2 randomized with the opt-out anchor always lastasked only of teens attending school
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • That whether someone is a boy or a girl is determined by the sex they were assigned at birth
  • That someone can be a boy or a girl even if that is different from the sex they were assigned at birth
  • I should not learn about this in school [ANCHOR]
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterSchool policySep 26, 2023 – Oct 23, 2023
teens' comfort when sexual orientation or gender identity comes up in class

In general, how do you feel when each of the following topics come up in your classes, either as part of a teacher's lesson or in some other way? ... Sexual orientation or gender identity

Sample
asked of a subset: Teens attending schoolfull poll: 1,453 teens ages 13-17 · ±3.2 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 7 subgroup figures

Base: School items asked of the 1,333 attending school and not homeschooled.

Wording notes: double-barreled: bundles sexual orientation with gender identityresponse option order reversed for a random half
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Very comfortable
  • Somewhat comfortable
  • Neither comfortable nor uncomfortable
  • Somewhat uncomfortable
  • Very uncomfortable
  • This topic has never come up in any of my classes [ANCHOR]
  • No answer
Pew Research Centerfor Pew Research Center (Pew Charitable Trusts / Lilly Endowment funding)General acceptancedata flagJul 17, 2023 – Mar 4, 2024
whether greater social acceptance of transgender people has been a change for the better

Thinking about changes in our society over the last 50 years, all in all, do you think each of the following has been a change for the better, a change for the worse, or hasn't made much difference? ... Greater social acceptance of people who are transgender (that is, people who identify as a gender that is different from the sex they were assigned at birth)

Change for the better
39%
Change for the worse
38%
Hasn't made much difference
21%
No answer
2%
Sample
36,908 adults · not disclosed in the topline header (varies by subgroup; the full-sample error is well under 1 point at n=36,908)
Method
probability ABS mail
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)PDF, external
Full record · 21 subgroup figures

Base: CHNG battery asked of all respondents; the transgender item (CHNGc) was new in 2023-24 and has no 2007 or 2014 trend.

Wording notes: items CHNGa-c randomized and displayed on one page'over the last 50 years' framingasked for the first time in the 2023-24 RLS, so no 2007/2014 comparison
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Change for the better
  • Change for the worse
  • Hasn't made much difference
  • No answer
Pew Research Centerfor Pew Research Center (Pew Charitable Trusts / Lilly Endowment funding)Contact & populationdata flagJul 17, 2023 – Mar 4, 2024
respondent self-description of gender, including a non-binary 'some other way' option

Do you describe yourself as a man, a woman or in some other way?

A woman
51%
A man
46%
In some other way
2%
No answer
1%
Sample
36,908 adults · not disclosed in the topline header (varies by subgroup; the full-sample error is well under 1 point at n=36,908)
Method
probability ABS mail
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)PDF, external
Full record

Base: CHNG battery asked of all respondents; the transgender item (CHNGc) was new in 2023-24 and has no 2007 or 2014 trend.

Wording notes: measurement approach changed from prior waves: 2007 used interviewer observation and 2014 asked 'Are you male or female?', so the 'in some other way' share has no comparable trenddoes not separately identify transgender men or transgender women, only a residual 'some other way' category
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • A man
  • A woman
  • In some other way
  • No answer
Pew Research CenterNondiscriminationMay 16–22, 2022
employment, housing and public accommodation protections for trans people

Would you favor or oppose the following policies?

Protect trans people from discrimination in jobs, housing and public spaces

Favor
64%
Sample
10,188 adults · ±1.6 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record

Base: Form 1 n=5,120; Form 2 n=5,068. Parents of children under 18 in household n=2,604; parents of elementary schoolers n=1,339; parents of middle/high schoolers n=1,351. Rep/Lean Rep n=4,841 (±2.2 points); Dem/Lean Dem n=5,092 (±2.2 points).

Wording notes: uses the abbreviation 'trans'
Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Strongly favor
  • Favor
  • Oppose
  • Strongly oppose
  • Not sure
Pew Research CenterSportsMay 16–22, 2022
requiring trans athletes to compete on teams matching sex assigned at birth

Would you favor or oppose the following policies?

Require trans athletes to compete on teams that match their sex assigned at birth

Favor / strongly favor
58%
Sample
10,188 adults · ±1.6 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record

Base: Form 1 n=5,120; Form 2 n=5,068. Parents of children under 18 in household n=2,604; parents of elementary schoolers n=1,339; parents of middle/high schoolers n=1,351. Rep/Lean Rep n=4,841 (±2.2 points); Dem/Lean Dem n=5,092 (±2.2 points).

Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Strongly favor
  • Favor
  • Oppose
  • Strongly oppose
  • Not sure
Pew Research CenterYouth medical careMay 16–22, 2022
banning gender-transition care for minors

Would you favor or oppose the following policies?

Ban health care professionals from providing care related to gender transitions for minors

Favor / strongly favor
46%
Sample
10,188 adults · ±1.6 percentage points
Method
probability panel
Where
US national
Source
Pollster release(opens another site)
Full record · 2 subgroup figures

Base: Form 1 n=5,120; Form 2 n=5,068. Parents of children under 18 in household n=2,604; parents of elementary schoolers n=1,339; parents of middle/high schoolers n=1,351. Rep/Lean Rep n=4,841 (±2.2 points); Dem/Lean Dem n=5,092 (±2.2 points).

Response options as the pollster wrote them
  • Strongly favor
  • Favor
  • Oppose
  • Strongly oppose
  • Not sure

Figures transcribed from public sources; each links to the original release. How to read this data →